Dan Lanning reveals Oregon's travel plans before facing Texas Tech

Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks have a date with the No. 4 Texas Tech Raiders on Jan. 1 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, and both teams will be traveling across the country as a result of the College Football Playoff format.

While much has been made about Oregon's travel in the CFP, Ducks coach Dan Lanning does not seem phased by the long flight out to Florida. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN, Lanning revealed his thoughts on flying to Miami as well as the preparation plans for his team after the trip.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greets Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) before the game against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

"Yeah, I mean. Who cares? They got a football field there, right? Let’s play football," Lanning told McAfee.

What Dan Lanning Said About Playoff Travel

One of the co-hosts of "The Pat McAfee Show" nicknamed Boston Connor compared Oregon's upcoming Orange Bowl trip to a flight to Japan, but he also asked Lanning how the Ducks coach plans to mitigate the impact that such a long flight might have on his players.

"It’s not quite that long of a flight, but it’s a long flight. Pack a neck pillow, right? And then you make sure that whenever you hit the ground, we’re going to get our bodies loose and do a primer, do some moving," Lanning said.

"But ultimately, we’ve kind of prepared ourselves for it. We’ve flown to Rutgers this year, we’ve flown to Penn State," the Oregon coach continued. "We’ve flown across the country more than any other team at our level, so we’re prepared for those moments."

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore throws a pass as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the move to the Big Ten, Oregon has traveled longer distances when playing road games in the conference. In addition to playing at Rutgers and Penn State, Oregon also traveled to Northwestern and Iowa during the year. Will the experience be an advantage for the Ducks?

Being in the Big 12, Texas Tech's schedule is a bit more regional, but the Red Raiders did travel to Utah and Arizona State during the regular season. Texas Tech's farthest game away from home was against West Virginia, and the Red Raiders dominated 49-0.

Nov 29, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders offensive lineman Sheridan Wilson (72) pauses over the ball before a snap during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Oregon Ducks' Path to CFP National Championship

Earlier in December when Oregon learned its spot in the 12-team bracket, Lanning offered a similar message when asked about the potential travel that the Ducks face.

“If anybody's prepared for it, it's us. We've done it a lot, and I think we travel really well. We'll try to keep the routine as simple as possible, as much like normal games that we've done in the past. But before we ever get to that point, we got to take care of business here,” Lanning said.

The winner of the Orange Bowl between Oregon and Texas Tech will play the winner of the Rose Bowl (No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana) in the Peach Bowl, in Atlanta, Georgia. So, if the Ducks win in Miami, they'll next play in Atlanta. The upcoming CFP National Championship will be played in Miami as well, meaning the Ducks could spend a lot of time on the East Coast if they can stay alive in the postseason.